A Complete Look at Manchester United's Summer Transfer Plans

We are heading towards the highest-spending transfer window the Premier League has seen, and Manchester United are willing to shell out millions to get back among Europe's elite.

Officials inside Old Trafford realise that rivals Manchester City and Chelsea are also planning to buy big this summer, so there will be huge competition for star names.

And that is why so many players are already being linked with a switch to the Red Devils. I have had a quick count and over 60 names have been touted for a move to United since January.

So, who is actually going to arrive?

It's not always easy to figure out which rumours should be taken seriously and which are fake news, so I've been speaking to contacts in the game to get a better grasp on what to expect ahead of Jose Mourinho's second season in charge.

The Master Plan

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

United signalled their intent in the market last year by signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba.

It was a statement to say they were ready to pay for Europe's best talent, but even last summer, Mourinho knew that Antoine Griezmann would be the next big name on his shopping list.

It looks increasingly likely the Atletico Madrid star will land at Old Trafford this summer, as I understand business is progressing and potential personal terms have even been discussed. But who will be joining him?

The indications from contacts I have spoken to are that United can spend around £300 million on six players this summer.

Mourinho wants strength all over the pitch, so a goalkeeper, centre-half, full-back, central midfielder and striker could all arrive with Griezmann—if all goes to plan.

Replacing De Gea

Lars Baron/Getty Images

The rumours surrounding David De Gea's future won't disappear, and at some stage, he is sure to join Real Madrid. There has been news about new contract talks, but stories like his house being up for sale ensure the uncertainty continues.

United would love to hold on to him, but they also want to make it clear he is not irreplaceable.

As a result, United are being linked with other 'keepers, and the rumour mill has thrown up six main options: Jan Oblak, Joe Hart, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Kasper Schmeichel, Hugo Lloris and Jordan Pickford.

At this stage, I am told Oblak and Schmeichel are the most serious candidates from that bunch.

My understanding is that while Oblak is the goalkeeper of most interest, his release clause of €100 million (£84.1 million) complicates matters. It is also unlikely Atleti would let him join United at the same time as Griezmann.

With that in mind, Schmeichel seems a great option. His performances domestically and in Europe for Leicester City have shown he is capable of competing at the highest level, and a recent switch to Italian agent Luca Bascherini could also help United's cause.

And, of course, his father is a United legend.

Full-Back Alert

ROMAIN PERROCHEAU/Getty Images

A new left-back is an obvious area of focus for Mourinho this summer, and it could come down to a tug-of-war with Man City to sign Benjamin Mendy.

The main names to look out for at this stage are Ryan Sessegnon, Kieran Tierney, Danny Rose and Mendy.

Those four players have vast differences in experience, with Sessegnon and Tierney at the start of their careers, but all of them fit the style of full-back Mourinho is looking for.

Luke Shaw should have been a shoo-in for the position, but he has struggled to win over the Special One, who I understand has concerns about his mental approach to the game. The former Southampton man is now sidelined through injury.

The setback means other clubs are unlikely to stump up cash for him anytime soon, and that could have an impact on the amount of money United are willing to lay out.

Spurs are adamant they won't let Rose leave, while Sessegnon is going to sign a new contract with Fulham.

That leaves 19-year-old Celtic star Tierney, who has been playing down the chance of him leaving Scotland, or AS Monaco's Mendy. 

Mendy seems the best fit at this stage, but United fear he will have a huge price tag—possibly above £50 million—so they are continuing to search for a solution.

Locking Up the Defence

Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

Chris Smalling and Phil Jones simply cannot be relied upon as regular centre-halves, and that's why Mourinho is willing to spend big to make his side's back line more secure.

Eric Bailly has had a good season, but he needs a partner on the same level if United are going to become realistic title contenders again.

The main man to focus on here is Victor Lindelof. A potential deal has been spoken about all season and sources within the game have indicated to me that they still expect him to move from Benfica to Manchester.

Lindelof is a versatile and reliable defender but, like Mendy, could cost in the £50 million bracket.

Michael Keane of Burnley is an attainable option, but there would still be a certain amount of risk in signing the 24-year-old—a move to Everton looks more likely for him.

A Midfield Spark

SERGIO CAMACHO/Getty Images

In terms of pure entertainment, it would be great to see United land James Rodriguez from Real Madrid. Realistically, that's not going to happen—it's not quite the midfield style they are craving.

Pogba needs a long-term partner in the centre of the park, and right now, the two men who fit the bill are Tiemoue Bakayoko and Eric Dier.

Mourinho is a long-term admirer of Dier and believes he would be the perfect successor to Michael Carrick.

His defensive qualities would allow Pogba to focus on his creative role, and I'm told that is crucial to their progression plan. The France international is expected to take off next season.

United are likely to test Tottenham's resolve over Dier, who can also play in defence, but they know it will not be easy to persuade chairman Daniel Levy to sell.

With that in mind, United also have shown firm interest in Monaco midfielder Bakayoko. A couple of months ago, I was told they were confident of getting the deal done, but Chelsea have since made a big play and appear to be leading the race.

Other big names linked include Mesut Ozil, Marcelo Brozovic, Franck Kessie, Ivan Perisic and Marco Reus.

The Next Zlatan

Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images

A striker was not as important to the next stage of the plan until Ibrahimovic suffered his knee injury.

Now Mourinho is ready to escalate his pursuit of the world's best goalscorers—no one is off limits.

United may not be among the country's top four, but the calibre of striker being linked with them is as high as ever.

You can forget the idea of Sergio Aguero arriving, but Romelu Lukaku, Kylian Mbappe and Andrea Belotti are all intriguing suggestions.

Lukaku will leave Everton after turning down a new deal at Goodison Park, and United enjoy good relations with his agent, Mino Raiola. However, Chelsea are favourites for the forward's signature right now.

Mbappe is difficult to read because there is so much interest in him, but Torino striker Belotti is interesting.

His goalscoring exploits in Serie A have been impressive—he's bagged 25 in 32 appearances—and he is viewed as a direct replacement for Ibrahimovic. The bad news is that he has an astonishing £90 million release clause. But we shouldn't rule out the signing.

A good back-up option could be Kasper Dolberg, the young Ajax striker who has been making a big impression. United scouts have been monitoring him since October, and he has enjoyed a good campaign in front of goal, hitting the net 21 times.

Other names linked are Alvaro Morata, Alexis Sanchez and Thomas Muller, but you can put them in the Aguero pile. They won't be arriving.